Culture and Cuisine

The United States is known for jazz and blue jeans.But travel to Paris and ask your average French citizen about American cuisine (烹饪) and he’s likely to answer,“ McDonalds.” Ask the same thing of any American citizen on any American street and I’m afraid you’d get the same answer,or something close to it.

Hamburgers and hotdogs and fries are all fine,but with American malls and other outlets standardizing everything from clothing to food,the sad truth is that American cuisine is becoming more homogeneous―all the same―no matter where you live.True,many Americans are eating more varied foods these days,but these are largely the cuisines of immigrant groups,and they are quite likely to be affected by homogenization of American cuisine.

So what exactly is American cuisine? Well,to some extent it is a reflection of our melting pot culture,meaning that Europeans made huge contributions in the form of wheat,dairy products,pork,beef and poultry.But American cuisine also includes products that once were known only to the New World,including potatoes,corn,pumpkin,sweet potatoes,and peanuts.

The one region of the country where you still find all these things in daily use is the Deep South.The South lost the Civil War,but children of the southerners are winning the battle to preserve and advance their cooking traditions—and in this case one of the few cuisines can truly be called American,which is why we’re pleased to have Low Country cuisine in this issue of food creation.That’s right,grits and gravy are back in a big way in cities like Charleston and Savannah.Truth is,they never really left,but up until a decade ago Low Country cuisine was more common at home than in restaurants.

In fact,a large number of tourists now go to the lower Atlantic region in order to experience this extraordinary cuisine for themselves.Time will tell whether Low Country cuisine becomes popular in other regions of the country in the way that,say,Italian cuisine has,but it’s amazing and heartening to see one of our true cultural treasures enjoying renewed popularity in these increasingly homogeneous times.

1.According to the passage,American cuisine impresses people as being _______.

A.dull and changeless

B.rich and various

C.popular and delicious

D.disagreeable and unpleasant

2.It can be seen that the writer feels regretful that _______.

A.cuisines of other countries play a more important role in America

B.American cuisine has become increasingly lacking in variety

C.American cuisine tends to vary because of immigration

D.American cuisine is being changed by foreign cuisines

3.From the passage,we know that grits and gravy _______.

A.were cooked with new materials after the Civil War

B.are gaining popularity in the south of America

C.were more popular over ten years ago

D.are seldom served in restaurants

4.What’s the writer’s attitude towards the renewal of Low Country cuisine in America?

A.Concerned and cautious.

B.Hopeless and doubtful.

C.Positive and supportive.

D.Critical and disapproving.

根据短文内容,从选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中两项为多余选项。

A good book can be satisfying. If reading is a habit you’d like to get into, there are some ways to develop it.

Realize that reading is enjoyable if you have a good book. If you have a difficult book and you are forcing yourself through it, it will seem like a task. ___1.__

Set time. You should have some time during every day when you’ll read for at least 5 to 10 minutes. ___2.___ For example, make it a habit to read during breakfast and lunch and even dinner if you eat alone.

Always carry a book. ___3.___When I leave the house, I always make sure to have my car keys and one book at hand. The book stays with me in the car, and I take it into the office and to appointments and pretty much everywhere I go.

___4.__ Find a place in your home where you can sit in a comfortable chair. Don’t lie down unless you’re going to sleep. There shouldn’t be a television or a computer near the chair, and no music or no noisy family members/ roommates. If you don’t have a place like this, create one.

Reduce television/ the Internet. If you really want to read more, try cutting back on time on TV or the Internet. __5.___But remember: every minute you reduce of the Internet/ TV, you could use for reading. This could create hours of book reading time.

A. Wherever you go, take a book with you.

B. Go to bookstores.

C. Have some good tea or coffee while you read.

D. Find a quiet place.

E. This may be difficult for some people.

F. If this happens, give up the book and find another one that you’ll really love.

G. It means you will read no matter how busy you are.

Parents usually go to malls to find new school supplies for their children. One of the most important things to get during this time is the backpack. Most students choose to bring a backpack because it allows them to have both hands free. This makes the bag less likely to hinder (妨碍)other activities that the person carrying it may be doing at the same time. Here are the ways parents can choose the perfect backpack for school.

How many books will children be carrying to school? How many notebooks should be inside the bag? Parents should know these details before buying a bag for their children. Each situation requires a different bag so it pays to ask children about the expected load.

Do children need special storage for the bag? If they will be carrying a laptop computer inside the new backpack,make sure that parents get a model that’s designed specifically for laptop use. This will protect the computer from bumps and falls that might damage the device if it had less protection.

Are children going to use the bag for a long time? If they want to use a bag for a long time,parents will be better off investing in a good brand that is known for quality. Parents may have to pay extra cash to get the top of the line and the best backpack in the market.

Count the pockets. Backpacks usually come with a lot of pockets,and generally,the more pockets,the better. This allows children to organize their things,like pens and pencils inside small pockets.

Picking the perfect school backpack is all about getting the sweet compromise (折中)between form,function and price. Remember to choose the best fit for children’s needs.

1.Why do most students like bringing a backpack?

A. Because it looks beautiful.

B. Because it’s a duty for them to bring it.

C. Because they can put all the books into it.

D. Because it helps them do other activities freely.

2. What does the second paragraph mainly talk about?

A. Parents should find out how many books their children have.

B. Parents must ask teachers for help before buying a backpack.

C. Parents should know the weight of things that will go inside the backpack.

D. Parents must ask their children’s requirements when buying a backpack.

3. The underlined word “bumps” in the third paragraph is closest in meaning to“ ”.

A. knocks B. jumps C. stands D. beats

4.Which of the following can we know from the text?

A. Picking a backpack is very easy to do.

B. It’s better for children to have a backpack that has more pockets.

C. The backpacks that have a good brand are more popular with children.

D. Parents always feel worried when buying a backpack for their children.

Humans have been keeping animals as pets for tens of thousands of years, but Dr Jean-Loup Rault, an animal scientist at the University of Melbourne in Australia, believes new companions are coming: robot pets.

“Technology is moving very fast,” Rault told ABC News, “The Tamagotchi in the early 1990s was really the first robotic pet, and now Sony and other big companies have improved them a lot.”

This may not sit well with pet lovers. After all, who would choose a plastic toy over a lovely puppy? But Rault argues that the robotic kind has a lot going for it: “You don’t have to feed it, you don’t have to walk it, it won’t make a mess in your house, and you can go on a holiday without feeling guilty.” The technology also benefits those who are allergic to pets, short on space, or fearful of real animals.

It’s not clear whether robot pets can replace real ones. But studies do suggest that we can bond with these smart machines. People give their cars names and kids give their toy animals life stories. It’s the same with robots. When Sony stopped its repair service for its robot dog Aibo in March 2014, owners in Japan held funerals.

As an animal welfare researcher, Rault is concerned about how robotic pets could affect our attitudes towards live animals. “If we become used to a robotic companion that doesn’t need food, water or exercises, perhaps it will change how humans care about other living beings,” he said.

So are dogs and cats a thing of the past, as Rault predicts? For those who grew up with living and breathing pets, the mechanical kind might not do. But for our next generation who are in constant touch with smart technology, a future in which lovely pets needn’t have a heartbeat might not be a far-fetched dream.

1.What does the underlined phrase “sit well with” means?

A. be refused by B. be beneficial to

C. make a difference to D. receive support from

2.What are the advantages of robot pets?

a. They are plastic and feel smooth.

b. Owners needn’t worry about them when going out.

c. They can help cure allergies(过敏).

d. They save space and costs.

A. ab B. bc C. bd D.cd

3.We can learn from the passage that___________.

A. Sony is the first company to produce robot pets Aibo.

B. People can develop strong bond(联系、关系) with their robot pets.

C. Rault thinks robot pets still have a long way to go.

D. Robot toys may help people care more about living beings.

4.The passage mainly tells us___________.

A. the advantages of robot toys

B. the popularity of robot pets

C. living pets are dying out

D. robot pets are coming

Barack Obama has really gone wild. The US president has taken part in the survival television show Running Wild With Bear Grylls, which will air on NBC later this year. In the show, Obama goes on an adventure with host Bear Grylls, learning how to survive in the Alaskan wilderness.

Edward Michael “Bear” Grylls, 41, has become known around the world as one of the most famous outdoor adventurers. The Briton has appeared on a number of wilderness survival shows in which he has climbed, sailed, and eaten bugs or cow tongue.

Obama doesn’t have to eat bugs or cow tongue on his adventure with Grylls. But he does have to eat leftovers - a bloody salmon (三文鱼). It was partly enjoyed by a bear that left some meat behind.

Although he is far from the White House kitchen, Obama seems to enjoy the outdoors. “As president, I am in what’s called the bubble(保护膜), and the Secret Service makes sure that I’m always out of danger ... but I sometimes want to get out,” he said in a video.

However, Obama’s appearance on the show isn’t just for fun. He took part to raise awareness of the effect global warming has had on the US’s largest state, Alaska.

1.On his adventure, Obama______.

A. has to eat something strange like bugs

B. enjoys cow tongue with Grylls

C. takes in some unusual food

D. never has any difficulty

2.It can be inferred from the passage that _____.

A. Obama has been tired of the life in the White House

B. US presidents have never been in danger because of the Secret Service

C. the food prepared in the White House is not as good as the food outdoors

D. The life outside the White House is sometimes attractive to the president

3.The purpose of Obama’s appearance on the show is _____.

A. to have some fun

B. to promote environmental protection

C. to enjoy the wilderness in Alaska

D. to get out of the White House for a change

4.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A. Grylls is the most well known outdoor adventurer around the world.

B. The TV show with Obama’s appearance is now on air on NBC.

C. Obama learns how to survive with host Bear Grylls in African wilderness.

D. Grylls has special abilities to survive in the wild

Sleep deprivation(缺失)is an important hidden factor in lowering the achievement of school pupils, according to researchers carrying out international education tests.

It is a particular problem in richer countries with sleep experts linking it to the use of mobile phones and computers in bedroom late at night. Sleep deprivation is such a serious problem that lessons have to be dragged down to a lower level to suit sleep-deprived learners, the study found. The international comparison, carried out by Boston College, found the United States to have the highest number of sleep-deprived students, with 73% of 9- and 10-year-olds and 80% of 13- and 14-year-olds identified by their teachers as being negatively affected.

In literacy(读写能力) tests there were 76% of 9- and 10-year-olds lacking sleep. This was much higher than the international average of 47% of primary pupils needing more sleep and 57% among the secondary age group.

Other countries with the most sleep-deprived youngsters were New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Australia, England, Ireland and France. High-performing Finland is also among the most lacking in sleep. Countries with the best records for getting enough sleep include Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Japan and Malta.

The analysis was part of the huge date-gathering process for global education rankings, the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study(TIMSS)and Progress in International Reading Literacy Study(PIRLS)

“I think we underestimate the impact of sleep. Our data show that across countries internationally, on average, children who have more sleep achieve higher in maths, science and reading. That is exactly what our data show,” says Chad Minnich of the TIMSS and PIRLS International Study Center.

“It’s the same link for children who are lacking basic nutrition,” says Mr Minnich, based at the Lynch School of Education, Boston College. “If you are unable to concentrate, to attend mentally, you are unable to achieve at your best level, because your mind and body are in need of something more basic. Sleep is a fundamental need for all children. If teachers report such large proportions of children suffering from lack of sleep, it’s having a significant impact. But worse than that, teachers are having to adjust their instruction based on those children who are suffering from a lack of sleep. The children who are suffering from a lack of sleep are driving down instruction.”

That means that even the children who are getting enough sleep are still suffering from this sleep-related lowering.

1. What did the researchers of Boston College try to find?

A. Why children don’t get enough sleep

B. How many hours children sleep every night

C. The relationship between sleep and test results

D. The relationship between sleep and health

2.Many children suffer from sleep deprivation because _________.

A. they sit in front of the TV for too long

B. they can hardly sleep soundly and deeply

C. their homework occupies too much of their time

D. modern technological devices consume a lot of their time

3.Which of the following countries has the most sleep-deprived students?

A. Japan B. Malta

C. Finland D. Portugal

4.Why are children who get enough sleep also victims?

A. Because they are disturbed by sleep-deprived students

B. Because teaching is driven down by sleep-deprived students

C. Because they have to spend time helping sleep-deprived students

D. Because the teachers waste time disciplining sleep-deprived students

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